Cruise Facts

USA Immigration Office:

Located at ports of entry, like international airports and shipping ports in Old San Juan, officers are available to answer any questions. Contact telephone in San Juan is 787-721-2900.

USA Department of Agriculture:

All passengers, including stateside residents traveling to the U.S. via air or sea from Puerto Rico must have their luggage checked and screened for illegal agricultural materials and pesticides controls. For additional information you may contact 787-721-2120.

PR State Department Office

The official government office managing lost passport claims and new passport requests can be contacted at: 787-766-5604.

Currency & Banks:

Puerto Rico's official currency is the US Dollar. US post Office Money Orders, Travelers Checks and several American credit cards are widely accepted in most stores and ATM machines found around the city. Foreign currency exchange is handled by international banks at a reasonable rate. Banks in Puerto Rico operate Monday thru Friday from 9AM until 4:00 PM and most open on Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. They are closed on PR and US Holidays.

• Banco Popular 787-725-2636
• Scotia Bank 1-817-766-4999
• Banco Bilbao Viscaya 787-721-5222
• First Bank 1-888-428-2511
• Santander Bank 1-800-726-8263
• City Bank: 1-800-360-2484
• Royal Bank of Canada: 787-274-6548

Foreign Exchange (at Airport location only)

Communications Systems:

Puerto Rico enjoys excellent telephone, mobile, fax, and internet services in many public areas, hotels, restaurant and special internet cafe locations. The Crew Station Cyber Café is popularly used by passengers and crew, next to the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel.

Public Pay Telephones:

Telephones are available in many public areas and are concentrated in plazas, public buildings and are accessible to cruise piers. Easy access pay phones use debit phone cards which can be purchased in local pharmacy shops.

US Post Office:

Located behind Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel across from Pier 6.

In Old San Juan:

Other shops are found in Plaza Las Americas and Plaza Carolina shopping malls. Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Closed on USA holiday celebrations. Another reliable source to ship parcels globally is:

• Federal Express: 1-800-463-3389
• UPS: 1-800-742-5877
• Cruise Line Representatives:
• Continental Shipping:
• Perez & Compania:

Medical & Pharmacy Assistance:

In the event of an emergency, Ashford Medical Center and Hospital, located in Condado, is the highest rated facility with English widely spoken. Emergency attendants are readily available in the Bus Terminal Building, across Pier 6 in Old San Juan. There is an Emergency Medical Ambulance and SJU Municipal Police Station in Old San Juan: 787-724-5170; otherwise we recommend consulting Ashford Medical Center & Hospital, in Condado area: 787-725-5012 Farmacia Luna, 787-722-0335/725-8292, PR Drug, 787-725-2202, and Walgreens, 787-722-6290.

The Walgreens store location in Old San Juan can only sell over the counter drugs and sundries. Other neighborhood locations in the Condado and Isla Verde hotel areas sell all amenities.

PR State Police Station for Tourist Areas (Condado):

787-343-2020

Another resource when visiting old town in a cruise and feeling a little low or getting medicines purchased at drugstores, all located in San Francisco Street.

Getting Married Advice:

License at Demographic Registers Office:

787-767-9120 and VDRL Blood Exam must be dated 1 day prior to your wedding in addition to a local Doctor’s exam. The whole process can be handled within less than 46 hours on weekdays (no holidays) by local coordinators. Contract a minister or judge and your hotel wedding planners to start planning your memorable Puerto Rico celebration.

Puerto Rico Tourism Company Incentive Program

Destination Incentive:

$2.95 per passenger paying the $13.25 port tariff (M-1-6); this destination incentive will not apply if Tariff M-1-6 is reduced in any manner throughout the duration of the program.

Passenger Volume Incentive by Corporation:

$2.00 for port tariff paying passengers 10,000-139,999; and $4.50 for port tariff paying passengers 140,000 and over.

Homeport Frequency Incentive:

$1.00 per passenger for cruises that use San Juan as home port for a minimum of 20 days for a period of 6 consecutive months.

In-transit Time in Port Incentive:

$0.85 per passenger on cruise ships in transit docking in the Port of San Juan for at least 8 hours.

Provisioning Incentive:

Every cruise ship docking at the San Juan port will receive 10% discount toward food & beverage purchases done locally. An additional 5% discount will be extended for purchases of products manufactured in Puerto Rico.